Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley was born in 1797, the only daughter of writers William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. In 1814 she eloped with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whom she married in 1816. She is best remembered as the author of Frankenstein, but she wrote several other works, including Valperga and The Last Man. From the Science Channel: Mary Shelley set out to create a monster. Along the way she created a masterpiece. In 1816, teenaged Mary begins stitching together a patchwork of ancient legend, modern technology, and personal tragedy, ultimately giving life to her novel, Frankenstein, and the genre of science fiction. To purchase the Science Channel's excellent one-hour documentary on Mary Shelley, click here.